Beauty From Ashes
by WildflowerWeasley
Summary: Harry is hiding his feelings, but what happens when Hermione is tired of waiting?


**A/N:** When a plunny hits, sometimes you just have to write it! Inspired by the song After Rain by Dermot Kennedy

 _Edited 6-23-19_

* * *

Harry looked through his stack of mail pulling out the plain white envelope with a resigned sigh. He had been expecting this particular invitation as it was an annual occurrence, but he hadn't yet decided if this would be the year he accepted. Opening the envelope, he slid the parchment out, reading the familiar request.

 _Mr Harry J. Potter,_

 _Please join your classmates for the Second Annual Hogwarts Alumni Bonfire._

 _There will be a casual meal, live music, and dancing. Please bring tents and cots to stay overnight._

 _As is tradition, the bonfire is in a secret location. The skeleton key is your portkey._

 _Please make sure you have a safe way home should you choose not to stay overnight._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Class of 1999 Alumni Committee_

Turning the envelope over, he caught the small key in the palm of his hand and laid the parchment on the table. He hadn't been to a bonfire yet and though he'd already packed his bags, he felt a frisson of fear and excitement at what could be. Though he wasn't sure what to expect, he pushed his nerves aside and quickly grabbed his overnight bag before he could change his mind.

Calling out _portus_ , he disappeared in a blink reappearing in the middle of a forest.

* * *

Immediately the sound of boisterous laughter filled the air around him and he followed it to a clearing where people gathered in groups.

The fire was in the centre of the clearing surrounded by logs where couples and friends sat wrapped in blankets talking, but Harry was drawn to the musicians playing off to the side of the clearing and the small group of people dancing in front of them.

Unsure of where to go first, he decided to get a plate of food and sit under a tree near the musicians. He hadn't seen Ron since he'd arrived but there were a few familiar faces scattered around and he sat observing them while he ate. Across from him, Seamus sat perched on a stool with a guitar in hand, singing an upbeat song. The wizard had discovered a love for muggle music not long after graduation and had since been travelling around Europe playing in pubs and even occasionally performed in the street.

Listening to Seamus and the others play, he happily finished his dinner unnoticed. He had hoped to keep it that way for a while at least, as most of his friends were under the impression that he was a heartbroken sod. His breakup with Ginny two months ago had been painful, but that wasn't the reason he had been so unlike himself lately. He and Ginny had tried to make it work for a year after her graduation, but it didn't take long to realize that they both wanted things that the other could not give.

He shook his head and vanished his empty plate away. _Of course_ Ginny wasn't able to be what he needed, because he needed Hermione. He always needed her, and he wasn't sure how he had missed it for so long, especially because Ginny had apparently known all along. The two had agreed to stay friends and ended their relationship on a positive note, but he'd been struggling with whether or not to tell Hermione how he felt since then.

So far he had proven himself to be a coward, hiding away at home and avoiding the petite witch as much as possible. He hadn't seen Hermione in months, though they owled back and forth. He was worried that his actions might give him away and she wouldn't return his feelings.

Shaking off the sour mood that threatened to overtake him, he stood and made his way to the cooler. Another bottle of butterbeer in hand, he went back to his place under the tree sitting down just in time to see Ron run past him with a squealing Pansy Parkinson thrown over his shoulder. The red-haired man was closely followed by Neville toting Hannah and Blaise with Parvati. They looked to be racing across the clearing, their witches hanging on and hollering encouraging words between bouts of laughter.

Ron and Pansy had reconnected when the man was injured during a raid and rushed to St. Mungo's where Pansy had been the healer assigned to him. They started off rocky but slowly got to know each other over his time there. The day she declared him healed, he had pulled out his Gryffindor courage and asked her on a date.

Seeing Ron prompted him to look for the other third of their trio and he sighed heavily when he spotted her dancing next to Daphne Greengrass and Theo Nott. He watched her, entranced, as she swayed to the music seemingly uncaring that she was the only single one in the group.

She danced with her head thrown back and her arms stretched wide, spinning around on bare feet. Her dress flew up as she twirled, giving him a view of her toned thighs beneath her sundress and he swallowed hard. _Get it together Potter_ he thought as he watched the firelight dance across her skin, wild and carefree.

He was so fucked.

Harry rubbed his eyes, this was why he had avoided her! He could _not_ be thinking about her this way, she was everything to him...he could not lose her.

Deciding to mingle and hopefully, get his mind off of those perfect legs, he stood and began walking toward Neville and Dean by the fire when he heard her yell his name.

Shit.

"Harry!"

He turned around just in time to open his arms before she launched herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck and wrapping her legs around his waist.

The momentum caused him to take a few steps backwards and he wrapped his arms around the small of her back. She hugged him tightly and leaned back to look at him and playfully scold him. "Harry James Potter! I can't believe you didn't tell me you were coming!" She hugged him one more time before hopping down to stand in front of him.

Harry, still in shock from being attacked and having her legs wrapped around his waist, shrugged apologetically and smiled.

She rolled her eyes before grabbing his hand and pulling him over to dance. "C'mon! I need a dance partner."

"'Mione, you know I'm not good at this," he said while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh hush you, you'll be fine. Just let go and have fun!"

Seeing that he had no real choice in the matter, he smiled down at her, placed a hand on her waist, and took her small hand in his. He watched her face light up as she brought her left hand to his shoulder, and he decided he would do anything she asked as long as she smiled at him like that. They swayed together to the music for a few minutes before he smirked and spun her under his arm listening to her joyous laughter.

How could he have thought that avoiding this was the best idea? He had never felt more at home and happy than at this moment with her in his arms. He began to relax after the second song, and by the third one, they were both laughing at each other's ridiculous dance moves. When the song ended, she took his hand and led him to sit by the fire. They stopped for drinks and then sat down on an empty log.

"Are you alright, Harry?"

He turned his attention from the fire with a grin. "I am," he said as he realized the truth in those two words. He had been worrying for nothing. "I feel better than I have in a long time, 'Mione."

"That's good to hear, Harry," she said with a bright smile raising her eyebrows expectantly. "So are you going to tell me why you've avoided me for the last two months then?"

His eyebrows shot up, and he started to protest, but she held her hands up to stop him.

"Harry, I know you have lunch with Ron at least once a week. You've responded to my owls, but anytime there's a gathering that I'm going to, you don't come. I honestly didn't expect to see you here tonight. Did I do something to upset you?"

Harry's mouth fell open, "What? No! Hermione, you didn't do anything wrong. It's me, I've had a lot on my mind and I just needed some space to think."

"You need space from me?"

"Yeah. I mean no! Shit, this isn't coming out right." He put his hands over his face. Why was it so hard to talk to her now? It was never like this before.

He felt her hands slide up his arms to his wrists and she gently pulled his hands away from his face.

She tilted her head down to look into his eyes. "Do you remember how right after the war I was so broken that I could hardly get out of bed?"

"I remember," he said quietly.

"You came to my room and found me sitting in the bathtub, clothes and shoes on curled up in a ball crying while the shower rained down on me..."

Harry closed his eyes, the memory coming to him like it had happened yesterday. He had been so afraid for her because up until that point she had always been the strong one.

"Do you remember what you said to me?" She asked softly.

He nodded and whispered, "I said 'I know you feel like you're burning now...like the pain is going to consume you, but when the burning stops you'll rise from the ashes stronger and more beautiful than ever.' I was so afraid you were giving up."

She smiled and cupped his cheek to lift his face and looked into his eyes with the smallest of smiles. "That was the day I fell in love with you."

His eyes grew wide, but she was still looking at him, waiting.

"I'm sorry, what?"

Her smile widened, and she shook her head as she leaned in to press her lips to his. When she pulled back her cheeks were pink, and she looked shyly down at her lap.

He brought a hand up into her hair and gently pulled her head back so he could see her face. "'Mione?"

"I said I love you, Harry," she whispered.

He tilted his head to the side with a mischevious grin. "Are you sure about that? You'll be stuck with me if you say yes." His voice was playful but he was serious and if she agreed he would not be letting her go.

"I'm sure you prat!" She laughed and smacked his arm. "Now are you going to kiss me or not?"

Harry leaned in then, intent on snogging her senseless but was cut off by a loud wolf whistle.

"Took you long two enough! Now I owe Pansy a date night at that fancy new restaurant on Diagon Alley!" Ron was two logs over and sounded petulant but he was smiling while Pansy stood beside him doing a celebratory dance.

Harry let out a bark of laughter and Hermione hid her face in his chest, her shoulders shaking. She looked up, her chin resting on his chest and he tilted his head down to capture her lips in a sweet kiss. He pulled away slowly and rested his forehead on hers, the promise of more in his eyes.

"I'm in love with you too, 'Mione. Say you'll be mine."

She sighed happily and nodded, snuggling into his chest "I always have been love."

He wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and pulled her close to him dropping a kiss to her hair.


End file.
